Expansion and contraction device



June 3, 1941. Y G. A. RIDGEWAY 2,244,315

EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION DEVICE Filed June 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS June 3, 1941. G. A. RIDGEWAY 2,244,315

EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION DEVICE Filed June 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 60/" WQ/Bd ewq ATTORNEYS Patented June 3, 1941 uwrro T PATET FENCE R Claims.

My invention relates to devices for providing joints between contiguous edges of slabs or other concrete sections and more particularly to those types of joints commonly known as expansion and contraction joints.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a contraction and expansion joint device equipped with means for permitting relative movement between the contiguous edges of slabs of concrete and the like whereby toeffect transfer or equalization of a load between adjacent slabs without resultant weakening or rupture of the slabs.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character equipped with means for tying or anchoring the ends of the slabs t0 the device in such a manner as to permit contraction and expansion of said slabs.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is simple in construction, durable in use, efiicient .in operation, easy of application and economical in manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claims and annexed drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a section of a sidewalk or the like partly broken away to illustrate my invention as applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional View taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective View of the base plate.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the yoke member, the latter being illustrated in reverse order with respect to the base plate depicted in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a top plan View of one of the bolts employed for maintaining the yoke member in connected relation with the base plate.

In practicing my invention, as illustrated in the drawings, I provide a base plate 5 adapted to rest on a sub-base 6 or other support for receiving thereon plastic material I, for instance concrete, constituting the upper section of a sidewalk, roadway or the like. The base plate 5 is provided with an opening Ia for receiving therethrough a pin 8 or the like whereby to maintain the base plate in adesired adjusted position on the sub-base 6 to preclude movement of the base plate during pouring and setting of the plastic material. 7

The base plate 5 is of a substantially rectangular configuration in plan and is provided on one side of the center thereof with a horizontally disposed and lengthwise extending yoke or U- shaped member 9, the latter being provided with spaced upper and lower sections Ill and II respectively which overlie and underlie the upper and lower faces of said base plate respectively.

A pair of spaced vertically disposed walls I2 and I3 extend lengthwise of the base plate and centrally thereof. The lower end of the wall I2 is welded to the upper face of the base plate as at 1 I4 while the lower end of the wall 13 is welded to the inner marginal edge of the upper section of the member 9 as at l5. The walls I2 and I3 have welded thereto the elevation edges of triangular shaped reenforcing members It and I1 respectively. The base edges of the members I6 are welded to the upper face of the base plate 5 while the base edges of. the members I! are welded to the upper face of the upper section of the member 9 as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

I'Ia arranged between the members I6 and through which extend the shanks of headed bolts I8, the heads of said bolts being disposed subjacent said base plate and welded thereto as at I9.

Between the members H, the base plate is formed with transversely disposed elongated slots 29 through which extend the shanks of headed bolts 2I. The diameter of that portion of the shank of each of the bolts 2| extending through the base plat is slightly less than the ransverse width of the respective slots whereby to permit movement of the shanks within the slots as hereinafter set forth.

Th shanks of the bolts 2| extend through apertures in the upper and lower sections I0 and H of the member 9 and are slidably movable within the latter relative to the base plate 5. The heads of the bolts 2I are disposed subjacent the lower sectionII of the member 9 and in engagement therewith. The shanks of the bolts 2 I, adjacent the upper section Ill of the member 9, are threaded and receive thereon nuts 22 Whereby to secure the bolts 2I fixed relative to the member 9.

The inner marginal edges of the member 9 are provided with apertures registering with similar apertures formed. in the base plate and through which extend relatively small shear bolts The base plate is provided with openings 23 capable of being sheared to permit movement of the member 9 relative to the base plate 5. As heretofore stated, the walls l2 and I3 are arranged in spaced relation and form therebetween a lengthwise extending betweenity in which is positioned an expansion strip 24, the latter being constructed of wood or felt and which per se forms no part of the present invention.

The member 9 is of a sufiicient width to maintain the outer marginal edge thereof in spaced relation with the adjacent outer marginal edge of the base plate 5 as clearly illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings whereby to permit movement of the member 9 relative to the base plate by expansion and contraction of the plastic material.

In use, the parts being in the position illustrated in Figure 2 of the drawings, the strip 24 is interposed between the walls [2 and l 3 and the plastic material poured onto the sub-base 6 and against the outer sides of the walls l2 and I3. When the plastic material is thus poured and allowed to set it forms a pair of sections or slabs making up a length of sidewalk or the like. Upon relative expansion or contraction of the slabs the member 9 and parts fixed thereto will move relative to the base plate 5 and thereby compensate for said contraction and expansion,

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and eflicient contraction and expansion joint which is adaptable for ready installation in the construction of sidewalks, roadways and the like and it will be noted that the dowels i8 and 2| serve to tie or anchor the ends of the respective slabs in position relative through the medium of the dowels causes relative movement between the base plate and member 9 upon contraction and expansion of the slabs.

It is obvious that the invention is not confined to the herein described use therefor as it may be utilized for any purpose to which it is adaptable. It is therefore to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific construction as illustrated and described, as the same is only illustrative of the principles of operation, which are capable of extended application in advance forms, and that the invention comprehends all construction within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A device of the character described comprising a horizontal plate having a plurality of slots extending transversely thereof, a vertical member fixed to the upper surface of the plate extending longitudinally intermediate the edges thereof, spaced gussets fixed to the plate and the vertical member arranged at one side of the said member, a yoke slidably mounted on the plate on the side opposite the gussets, the said yoke having a socket adapted to receive an edge of the plate, a vertical member fixed on the yoke in substantial parallelism with the said first-men tioned vertical member and spaced from the latter, spaced gussets fixed to the said socket and the vertical member on the yoke and extending in a direction away from the first-mentioned gussets, a plurality of bolts fixed to the said plate and disposed between the gussets thereon, and a plurality of bolts fixed to and extending through the socket and the slots in the plate, whereby slabs of plastic material may be tied to the plate and yoke respectively for relative movement thereof upon retraction and expansion of the said plastic material.

2. The structure as set forth and defined in claim 1 including shear pins for connecting the yoke to the plate during the pouring of the plastic material.

GEORGE A. RIDGEWAY. 

